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NZGC: 2EZ vs. DNA

NZGC: 2EZ vs. DNA

After a breathtaking opening matchup between King 5 and Tigereye in the inaugural 2016 NZGC Premiership, 2EZ and DNA were set to enter the Rift. Could these two come close to replicating the performance we saw on day one? Let’s jump right into it and find out.

2EZ vs. DNA – Game One

2EZ came into this matchup looking prepared right from the pick and ban phase. They target banned specific champions that they knew DNA players excelled on (like im tilting’s Sona).

The action picked up just 3:30 into the game when EZ’s jungler, Rin Touyama, invaded DNA’s jungle, only to get caught out of position by 0Two1 and im tilting to give away first blood.

As the teams returned to farming and pushing down tier 1 towers, 2EZ began to build a lead. 11 minutes in the game, and up 2k gold, 2EZ decided to make a play in the top lane. While it started out great, picking up 2 kills, DNA’s mid laner roamed up to pick up a kill on the back end and send the rest of 2EZ scattering.

Maintaining their gold lead, 2EZ turned towards drake next. After establishing superior vision, DNA was left having to face check the drake pit. They picked the worst time to check, as 2EZ was able to smite the drake away and then immediately turn on DNA. The result netted them 3 more kills, all going to 2EZ’s ADC, Blinky.

Vision on the map was an issue for DNA for the entirety of game one. 2EZ was able to move around the map effortlessly, taking mid tower and then the third drake of the game just 22 minutes in without any response.

The best play of the game, and the final play that pushed 2EZ to victory, came off a desperate Baron attempt by DNA. With 2EZ scrambling to the Baron pit, DNA looked to take advantage by quickly killing it.

With Baron within smite range, 2EZs Rin Touyama (playing on Elise) was able to repel into a forest of DNA players and smite steal away the Baron. With Baron and a 5k gold lead, 2EZ quickly pushed through DNA’s base for a game one win.

2EZ vs. DNA – Game Two

Heading into game 2, DNA decided to draft a more tankier team composition this time. 2EZ responded by putting Rin Touyama on a more damage oriented jungler in Graves. DNA was also able to take away Bard from 2EZs im tilting.

DNA picked up first blood just 3 minutes into the game yet again, with Ark securing the kill in the mid lane on Lissandra. A minute later, the action picked up in the bottom lane. DNA’s 0Two1 landed an amazing flash cocoon onto Cupcake, but the trickery of Bard allowed Cupcake to escape with just a sliver of HP.

Both teams ended up trading kills in what was a pretty messy team fight from both sides. 2EZs Jakattack was able to also pick up a solo kill in the top lane.

10 minutes into the game, the score was tied 5-5 and the gold was essentially even. The game hanged in the balance. Could DNA find the the right fights to push this to three games?

A big fight in the mid lane 30 minutes in netted DNA a two kill advantage. Jakattack was caught out of position 3 minutes later, losing his Guardian Angel proc and his life. DNA would pick up an additional two kills on the backend of the play as well. With the staggered death timers, DNA was able to pull out a game two victory to tie the series.

2EZ vs. DNA – Game Three

Entering a decisive game three, 2EZ banned away the often problematic Jhin and his Curtain Call of an ultimate. Elise was also the priority pick for 2EZ over Rek’sai. DNA responded by taking Caitlyn away from Blinky.

We’ll pick up the action five minutes into the game, where DNA’s Sheldor found himself in trouble in the top lane. 2EZ’s jungler, Rin Touyama, has been huge on his Elise jungle ganks this series, and this proved to be another successful venture.

With Ark teleporting, 2EZ was able to quickly take down Sheldor and then retreat until their cooldowns reset. Rin Touyama then immediately flash Qed onto Ark to pick up his double kill. Just two minutes later, Rin Touyama returned to the top lane for a third kill.

After a few kills traded back and forth between the two teams, Eternal drake was making its first presence on the Rift. Both teams desperately wanted this drake, with plenty of resources being committed to secure vision. 2EZ played it perfectly though, waiting for DNA to make a positional mistake and then find two more kills.

22 minutes into the game, 2EZ had built a 4k gold lead, with both teams trading kills once again. DNA was just trying to survive to the late game, but was their deficit too much to overcome?

Things began to unfold for DNA a few minutes later. With Infernal drake set to respawn, a huge team fight took place in the river. 2EZ had too big of a lead though, picking up four kills and almost an ace.

The gold lead, map objective control, and XP advantage of 2EZ was just too much for DNA to overcome. After taking another drake and then Baron, 2EZ barreled down top lane. They weren’t quite able to end the game with the first Baron, but they essentially took down all of DNA’s defenses.

37 minutes into the game, 2EZ was able to expose DNA’s nexus, finally securing the win they had been building towards for the past thirty minutes. With the victory, 2EZ also took a 2-1 series win.